The Roberts of 70, Church Street, Old Town, Eastbourne

70, Church Street was built about 1887. The Eastbourne Chronicle of 26^th March 1889 describes it as ‘recently and substantially built’. 

The first family to live in the house were the Potter family.  Walter Potter was a bricklayer and the 1891 census shows he was living at number 70 with his wife, Fanny and their seven children. 

The next family to reside in the house were my ancestors who originally lived two doors away, at number 66. They were the Roberts family consisting of John and Hannah Roberts and their three adult children John aged 24,  my great-grandfather Ebenezer aged 23 and his 21 year old Ruth sister who was a dress maker.  John Roberts senior, was a bath-chairman. His job would be to push residents or visitors around Eastbourne and along the seafront in wicker wheelchair.  John had been born in Hellingly in 1840 but his wife Hannah (maiden name Verrell) was a local girl having been born in a cottage in the Goffs, Eastbourne in 1828. 

His sons, John and Ebenezer worked together as greengrocers and had a shop close by at 33, Church Street. Their advertisements announced that their vegetables were ‘fresh from our own gardens’.  As the gardens in Church Street are too small to stock a shop they must have had allotment gardens. 

John married a Brighton girl, Mary Starley and Ebenezer married a Lewes girl, Bessie Bennett in 1894. The following year on 17^th August 1895 the brother’s business was dissolved. 

John and Mary moved next-door to 68, Church Street. Ebenezer and Bessie moved just down the road to 58, Church Street but later moved to Taddington Road on the other side of Eastbourne.

The 1911 census was taken on 2^nd April and was the first census that had to be completed by the householder themselves. By now John and Mary had moved next-door again were now living at 70, Church Street. John and Mary had nine children, all born in Eastbourne and all who were bought up at 70, Church Street, in fact the house was to be occupied by members of my family, the Roberts for the next 70 years !

Now in their seventies,  the 1911 census shows that John (senior) and Hannah were now living just down the road at 6, Church Street. Amazingly John’s occupation is still shown as a bath-chairman.  Hannah died in 1914 and clearly John was not able to live alone as he was admitted into the Union – the Eastbourne Workhouse.  This cannot have been too much of a worry as the Workhouse was also in Church Street and close to his family who literally lived across the road.

Sadly he was to become an unintentional victim of the Great War.  In 1915 the Eastbourne workhouse was commandeered by the military to become the ‘Eastbourne Central Military Hospital’.  The occupants of the workhouse were moved out to other workhouses across Sussex. Elderly John was transferred to the Steyning Workhouse in West Sussex.   On 13^th  May 1918 the Roberts family received a note from the workhouse master to report that John was seriously ill.  In the same post they received another letter to say that he had died.  

How sad that John, who had spent most of his life in Church Street was to die alone so far from home.  His body was returned to Eastbourne and he is buried with his wife at Ocklynge Cemetery.

We will now concentrate on John and Mary and their nine children who lived at 70, Church Street and try to find out more about their fortunes. 

HUSBAND :     JOHN ROBERTS (1868-1921)

John Roberts was born on 17^th May 1868 in Pillory Cottage, Church Street.  This was a building which occupied the land near the current ‘Tally-Ho’ pub, between Green Street and New Place.  This was on the site of Pillory Green where criminals were held for a short time in a pillory as a punishment. 

John had left school by the age of 12 years and the 1881 census shows his occupation as ‘Driver of a Goat Chaise’  This was a small vehicle pulled by a goat and was mainly used for giving rides to children. The job therefore would be very seasonal.  John would have only been able to ply for hire at a specific location near the Wish Tower – the licence plate at this location can still be seen. 

In October 1886 John was assaulted at Ocklynge Cemetery when he was beaten around the head by the drunken manager of a local coal-merchants. John went to the doctor’s at Matlock House (now St Marys House next to the Lamb pub) and later summonsed his attacker who was fined £1 and ordered to pay John’s medical fees.

As mentioned, prior to his marriage to Mary Starley, John worked as a greengrocer in Church Street but the 1901 and 1911 census shows his occupation as  a self-employed ‘general carrier’.  This probably means he had a horse and cart and would move goods around the town. 

John died on 24^th April 1921 and a few weeks later a notice appeared in the Eastbourne Chronicle regarding the auction of the five allotments he owned on the Rodmill Farm. The sale included fruit trees, vegetables, ornamental shrubs, flowering plants, shed, tools, ladders and wheelbarrows. 

WIFE:  MARY ROBERTS (1867-1942)

Mary Ann STARLEY was the daughter of blacksmith Albert and Frances Starley and was born in Brighton on 16^th June 1867. She married John Roberts in Eastbourne in 1892.  She continued to live at 70, Church Street after the death of her husband John, no doubt supported by her children.  She died in the house aged 74 on 26^th January 1942.  (My grandmother wrote in her diary that she died very ‘suddenly’.)  She is buried in the grave of her husband at Ocklynge Cemetery although she has a separate grave marker. 

SON:    ALBERT ROBERTS (1893-1963)

Albert Ebenezer Sweatman Roberts was born on 10^th March 1863. He was the oldest child of John and Mary Roberts and was bought up at 70, Church Street He was known in the family as Bert. On leaving school he got a job working for Hammick’s Bakery.  John Hammick had bakeries at 8, Carlisle Road and in Meads.  This photo shows a Hammick’s bakers-boy at Meads – who knows it may even be Bert!  

At the age of 17 years Bert joined the Territorial Army (The 2^nd Home Counties Brigade of the Royal Field Artillery).  His records show that he was in good health but only 5ft 1inch tall. He attended training courses at Oakhampton Devon in the summers of 1911 and 1913. His rank is shown as ‘Driver’

When the Great War started on 28^th July 1914, Bert was mobilised as a territorial reservist a week later on 5^th August.  This time he joined the 4^th Sussex Battalion of the Royal Field Artillery.  Just two weeks later he was posted to Poona (now Pune) in India. 

Bert remained in India until May 1916 when he was posted to Mesopotamia (Iran)  where he remained until the end of the war. He arrived back home in April 1919 and was demobbed in Eastbourne the following year.   

On 16^th October 1920 Bert married Lucy May Watkins who was born in Lamorbey, near Sidcup in Kent. They were married All Souls Church in Eastbourne.  At this time he was living in Ashford Road and his occupation is shown as bricklayer. The couple had two children, Vera and Victor. 

The couple moved back to Old Town as directories show that in 1933 they were living at 66, Royal Sussex Crescent and by 1939 were living at 9, Beechy Avenue. On 13^th September 1940 it was reported that Bert had been injured during a bombing raid. 

Albert died at St Mary’s Hospital on 24^th June 1963

SON: REGINALD ROBERTS (1894-1965)

Reginald Walter Roberts was known as Reg. He was born on 15^th December 1894 and was bought up at 70, Church Street.  He was an errand boy and worked for W.Price Chemists at 30, Grove Road. 

In March 1912 Reg joined the Territorial Army and, like his brother joined the 2^nd Home Counties Brigade of the Royal Field Artillery.  A few weeks later, on 8^th May 1912 he was summonsed  by PC Austin for disorderly conduct in Bradford Street.  The constable later told Eastbourne Magistrates that Reg and two others were seen to be playing football in the street.  The court was told that he had a previous conviction and he was fined 2 shillings and sixpence. 

Reg was mobilised at the outbreak of the Great War and in December 1914 was posted to Poona in India where he served alongside his brother as a driver. He returned to England in October 1919 and was demobilised. He moved back into 70, Church Street.   The 1921 census shows Reg working as a hotel porter at the Marine Hotel.

In January 1922 Reg married local girl Dorothy Hodsell.  They lived at 31, Beechy Avenue, off Victoria Drive and in his later years Reg worked as a barman.   He died aged 70 years in 1965.

SON: VICTOR ROBERTS (1897-1985)

Victor Roberts was known as Vic.  He was born on 27^th March 1897 and the 1911 census shows his occupation as errand boy.   Vic lived at 70, Church Street until he was 22 when he married Elizabeth Stacey at Christ Church in Seaside.  Vic by this time was a butcher. They moved to Harrow Weald in Middlesex and later back to Sussex where they lived in Perth Road, St Leonards on Sea.  They had two children. 

In March 1939 Vic discovered that his wife was having an affair with a man in Eastbourne and obtained a divorce. He told the divorce court that the marriage was reasonably happy but his wife wanted more  life and insisted on taking a job.   Victor quickly found a new partner and just four months later married Miriam Taylor in Hastings. 

On 30^th April 1955 Vic and Miriam emigrated to Australia. The left Southampton on the SS Moreton which took them to Freemantle.   They settled nearby in Melville City, a suburb of Perth, Western Australia. 

Vic died in Australia aged 88 years in 1981. He is buried in Freemantle cemetery. 

DAUGHTER:   LILIAN ROBERTS (1899-1988)

Lilian Gertrude Roberts was known as Lily and was born on 11^th December 1899. She lived at 70, Church Street for over 40 years.   The 1921 census shows she was working as  home-help at nearby 35, Charleston Road. 

In 1939 Lily was still living at 70, Church Street and her occupation was the manageress of a stationery shop.  In 1944 she was living at 3, Churchdale Road.  She died in Eastbourne in 1988 aged 89 years.  She was unmarried. 

SON: JOHN ROBERTS (1902-1968)

John Hector Roberts was born on 23^rd January 1902 and was known as Jack. He lived at 70, Church Street over 20 years.

The 1921 census shows that Jack was working as a labourer for Rowsell & Ticehurst which were a local building company.  On 22^nd May 1926, Jack married Minnie Triggs at Christ Church, Seaside and by now he was describing himself as an electrician.  The couple moved into Minnies parent’s house at 2a, Mona Road off Whitley Road.  They had two children George and Michael. 

In 1939 Jack’s occupation is shown as plumber and heavy duty joiner.  He later moved to 33, Marsden Road where he died aged 66 in 1968. 

DAUGHTER: EVELYN ROBERTS (1904-1966)

Evelyn Mary Roberts was known as Eve; she was born on 19^th August 1904.  She was baptised at St Mary’s Church on 14^th April 1907 at the same time as her younger brother Cecil.  The 1921 census shows Eve was working as a shop assistant at the Abel Newsagents at 24a, Church Street. 

Eve lived at 70, Church Street until she married Welshman Glyn Jones in July 1929. The couple moved to 3, Beltring Road, Eastbourne.   In about 1940 the couple moved back to Wales and the settled at 1, Moy Road, Aberfan next to the local junior school. 

On 21^st October 1966 the school and 1, Moy Road were destroyed when a colliery spoil heap collapsed. 116 children and 28 adults were killed. Eve was one of the adults.  She is buried at Aberfan cemetery and is mentioned on the impressive but moving Aberfan memorial. 

SON: CECIL GEORGE ROBERTS (1907-1980)

Cecil George Roberts was born  on 21^st February 1907.  He was born at 68, Church Street but soon moved next door to number 70 where he lived for the rest of his life.  

The 1921 census shows that 14 year old Cecil had left school and was working as an errand boy.  He later worked as a butcher. 

In July 1940 Cecil married Gladys Davies. By this time he was serving in the armed forces. In 1946, Gladys gave birth to Howard but he died the following year. He has a memorial stone at Ocklynge cemetery. 

He was buried on 12^th June 1980 at Ocklynge Cemetery.  The church register shows the address of the 73 year old – 70, Church Street

SON: ASTLEY  ROBERTS (1911-1994)

Astley Roberts was born on 7^th July 1911 and lived at 70, Church Street until he married Phyllis May Peters in April 1936.   Astley was a plumber by trade and the couple lived at 30, Oldfield Road, Lower Willingdon. 

During the War Astley served in the armed services.  In 1939 Astley and Phyllis had a son Michael. Unfortunately in 1950, the 11-year-old lad was playing in his back garden when he fell and hit his head on a concrete path.  He died shortly afterwards and was buried at Willingdon Churchyard.   

Astley worked as a plumber for the Ashdown Heating Company of Bayham Road, Eastbourne for 40 years, retiring in June 1976. 

Astley died in March 1994 and was buried with his wife in their son’s grave at Willingdon Church. 

SON:  RONALD ROBERTS (1915-1981)

Ronald David Roberts was born on 14^th March 1915 and was known in the family as Ronnie. 

He was a butcher by trade but served in the Royal Sussex Regiment during the War. He lived at 70, Church Street until 9^th November 1946 when he married Margaret Davies of Merthyr Tydfil. The couple moved in to 2, Prospect Gardens, Crown Street, Old Town (next to the Crown pub)

For many years Ronald was the Eastbourne branch secretary of the Royal Sussex Regimental Association.   He died in April 1981 and is buried at Ocklynge cemetery.